EghtesadOnline: Irrigation efficiency in Iran has increased from 35% 10 years ago to 45% presently, the head of Soil and Water Research Institute affiliated with the Ministry of Agriculture said.

Kambiz Bazargan also told IRNA that this rise owes to the fact that more and more farmlands have been equipped with modern irrigation systems in the country over the past 10 years.

Irrigation efficiency is the ratio of the amount of water consumed by a crop to the amount supplied through irrigation, according to Financial Tribune.

“The government has allocated 31.17 trillion rials ($660 million) for the installation of modern irrigation systems in farmlands across the country, of which 41% (close to $270 million) have been invested so far,” Abbas Zare’, chairman of Modern Irrigation Systems Project undertaken by the Agriculture Ministry, said.

Zare’ said plans have been made to set up advanced irrigation systems over 285,000 hectares of farms this year, adding that up until now 140,000 hectares have been equipped, Mehr News Agency reported.

This, he explained, saves up to 1.25 billion cubic meters of water, increases yield and decreases fertilizer and pesticide use by 30% each.

Agriculture Minister Mahmoud Hojjati has said that the government will cover 85% of expenses involved in the modernization of irrigation systems in farms and orchards in the form of subsidies.

“Unlimited banking facilities will be granted to farmers in this regard,” he said.